


Thirteen instead of Thirty

by LoCay_19



Category: Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: (Not quite Autistic), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Atypical Eddie Brock, Dan Lewis is a saint (TM), Eddie Brock's father's A+ Parenting, Everyone else is canon age, He's about thirteen, I'm not a specialist though, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kid!Fic, Kidnapping, Kind of -, Middle School Au _ sort of, Minor Dan Lewis/Anne Weying, SPD!Eddie, Sensory Proccessing Disorder!Eddie, Stimbiote, Stimming, Symbiote - Freeform, Teen!Eddie Brock, Venom Symbiote Takes Care of Eddie Brock, kid!Eddie Brock
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2019-10-08 14:48:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17388371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoCay_19/pseuds/LoCay_19
Summary: Basically there's these cute pictures on instagram by @halumichan Where Eddie is a middle schooler and Venom is normal. And I thought they were so cute I had to take a crack at it....OrEddie is thirteen, gets into trouble, and now has to live with the Symbiote Venom living in him.... how will he escape the Life Foundation?





	1. Chapter 1

Eddie was bored, his fingers constantly in motion, stimming, and toying with his bracelets. His eyes kept flitting around the huge building he was being toured around. His father was talking to a man. They were talking about business, about rockets that have gone into space, because every normal person who makes a lot of money decides they want to send rockets to space. Eddie didn't care about the rockets. The sun's reflection off of the shiny metal of the rockets beamed into his eyes, making him anxious. The whole building was so open and Eddie felt himself chewing on his inner lip. He only stopped when it started to taste a little too much like iron. He glanced at his father, who was still deep in conversation with Mr. Drake. Eddie slyfully tucked one end of his hood string into the side of his cheek, gnashing it with his teeth. He felt himself go less tense, some of the nervous energy bleed out of him.

 

"Edward Brock, take that out of your mouth, you're not five." His father smacked Eddie on the back of the head, making him drop the string from his mouth. He mourned the comfort that he had just lost.

 

"Sorry, dad." Eddie sighed, looking down at his shoes and waiting for another reprimand.

 

"We'll discuss this later." His father hissed, turning back to Mr. Drake. "Sorry about that, where were you?" But even though his dad wanted to change the subject, Mr. Drake's eyes were still glued to Eddie. Eddie shifted nervously under the gaze.

 

"Hello, Eddie. My name is Carlton Drake. I don't think we've meet." Mr. Drake said holding out his hand. Eddie looked to the hand, but didn't take it. He didn't like shaking people's hands, it was weird, and felt gross. It wasn't until his dad gave a grunt and another smack to Eddie's head that he reached out and shook Mr. Drake's hand. "I bet it's super boring here with us adults. How about you go with my friend, Dr. Skirth."

 

A lady with a doctor's coat and pretty looking scarf walked over when Mr. Drake waved at her.

 

"Take Young Mr. Brock here to see some of the labs. I'm sure that would be much cooler than being here." Mr. Drake said.

 

"I don't think that's a very good idea, Mist-." Dr. Skirth. tried to insist, but Mr. Drake had already turned back to Eddie's dad, talking about the pharmaceuticals again. Dr. Skirth let out a heavy sigh. She started to walk off in a different direction, which Eddie shrugged, and followed her.

 

The labs were dull and boring. Dr. Skirth talked a lot about the workings of what was happening in them. Something about medicine and helping people. Eddie tried to pay attention, but he kept feeling his attention deviate. Then Miss Skirth was asked to help a different doctor in a problem they were having. Eddie was right back where he started; standing to the side, bored out of his mind as the adults talked about things he didn't care to understand. So sue him, he wandered off. Mr. Drake said it was fine for him to be in the labs, so he'll just give himself his own tour.

 

That's how he got incredibly lost. He was in a large hall way that seemed to be going on forever. Eddie chewed lazily on his jacket string, looking around the polished walls and floors.

 

"HEY!" A buff man yelled over at Eddie, who was running his fingers on the steel wall as he walked aimlessly around. "What are you doing here?! You aren't supposed to be here!"

 

Eddie was never good under pressure. So instead of telling the guard man that he was lost, and just wanted to go back to Dr. Skirth, Eddie ran. He was a lithe, young man with a body that would be great for running, but Eddie himself didn't actually like to run. He barely participated in gym, and hated every second of it. So hiding was going to be a better option instead of out-running this guard who was vastly gaining ground.

 

Eddie took a right, and nearly smacked into a door. He opened it up and slipped in. It closed before the guard ran passed. Eddie looked around this new room. It was much spookier than all the other rooms. There were glass rooms with people in it, and numbers and beeping on the doors. 'Stable' was on a lot of the doors, but a few of them had 'unstable', and those people were set up with hospital-esque equipment surrounding them.

 

"EDDIE!" Eddie jumped as the person he just walked past started to bang on the glass door. It took a second, but Eddie recognised her. She was that nice woman who sat by Ms. Chen's convenience store.

 

"Maria? What are you doing here?" Eddie asked, looking around for a door handle. there wasn't one, but there was an electronic keypad, maybe one of those buttons could open the door. Maria had always been so nice to him.

 

"Get me out of here, Eddie." She hissed. Eddie pushed a few buttons, only to make things much worse. Sirens started to go off with flashing lights. Eddie's nervous energy turned into full blown anxiety. Maria screamed as something came from the roof, spraying on her. Eddie looked around, saw a fire extinguisher, those were heavy, right? He took it and began to beat the door with it. He had to help Maria out. She had helped him hid from bullies before, he could help her too.

 

Once the glass smashed open Maria leaped onto Eddie, started to claw at him and beat him up. Eddie was so scared, he kept calling her name, yelling for her to stop. He pushed her away, she flew a few feet. Eddie got to his feet and started to run back to the open doors, but the scary guard man was there too. And before anything else could happen, he had Eddie in his arms, and there was a pinch at the base of his neck. Eddie tried to get free, but for some reason he felt so tired. His eyes began to close the more he fought.

 

**Stay Awake. Do not close your eyes.**

 

Eddie jerked his head up, looking around as the guard carried him into the faculty. He looked up at the guard, but the voice too close to Eddie’s ear to be the man. Eddie’s heart picked up, but he could still feel the drug bringing him down.

 

**A host must be strong. Do not let a little chemical win, puny mortal.**

 

“I’m trying too.” Eddie snapped.

 

“Shut up.” The guard shook him a bit, making his head go fuzzy and his knees buckle. “Get up, kid.”

 

**Stay down, Eddie, we must not waste energy. It would be bad.**

 

“Stop, who are you?” Eddie whipped around, trying to find the person growling in his ear. No one but the guard was around him. That didn’t last too long. Mr. Drake and his dad stormed into the lab, walking sternly towards Eddie. His dad looked mortified and wrathful. Mr. Drake was calm, eyes roaming over Eddie’s restrained body.

 

**Stay away from those two men, Eddie. They are dangerous.**

 

Eddie let out a scared little laugh. He knew his dad was dangerous. He knew not to be around when his dad looked like this. It only caused pain and hurt. Mr. Drake didn’t look dangerous though. He was famous for his philanthropy and kindness. Why would his mind - because there was no other explanation for the voice that yelled so loudly, but got no reaction of being heard by the others -  think Mr. Drake was dangerous.

 

**I am not some voice in your head, Eddie.** The voice gave a scoff, and Eddie could feel it deep in his chest. It was both alien and comforting.

 

“Then what are you?” Eddie found himself asking, only to get struck by his father’s hand.

 

“Shut up, Eddie. Mr. Drake is so kind to let you tour his company, and you go and make a fool of yourself. You broke into a secure location, ran from guards, and destroyed their property.” Mr. Brock fummed.

 

**This human fathered you?** The concern bubbled up in his chest again, a feeling that wasn’t Eddie’s but he could feel like his own.  **I am Venom.**

 

Eddie bit the inside of his cheek, trying not to speak. He knew he was in so much trouble, but the voice in his head. He had to ask it. His father was still ranting, yelling, threatening. Eddie, for the first time in his life couldn’t care. He was more scared and captivated by this Venom.

 

“Venom? How do you know my dad?” Eddie asked. His eyes widened as his father raised his hand again, only for Mr. Drake to stop the fist.

 

“Hold up, Todd.” Mr. Drake said. He turned to Eddie, looking him in the eyes. “Who are you talking to, Eddie?”

 

**Do not answer him.**

 

“N-no one.” Eddie shrunk back into himself.

 

“You know that woman you let out. She had a special friend in her. They’re called Symbiotes. They can’t live in this world without a host. Now, my scientists say that she’s dead and our friend is gone. The only place it could be is in you. Have you got my friend in you?” Mr. Drake asked, his voice soft and kind.

 

**Say no. He will keep us here. It is no place for a small, weak thing like you.** The voice, Venom, said. Eddie felt his legs take a step away from Mr. Drake, but he wasn’t doing it himself. It was like Venom was controlling his body.

 

“A-a Symbiote? L-like bees and flowers?” Eddie asked. He had just been learning about this in his biology class. There were three type of symbiotic relationships based in nature. Mutual, Commensal, and Parasitic, at least Eddie is pretty sure that’s what his science teacher taught. Eddie watched as his dad’s eyes got a spark in them. He turned to Mr. Drake, whispering something in his ear. Mr. Drake got the same look in his eyes. Eddie was scared. He didn’t like that look. Venom didn’t seem to like it either as he swirled in his guts.

 

**You have no need to worry, Eddie. We are like bees and flowers. We will not harm you, only help. They will lie. Do not trust them.**

 

“No, Eddie. It’s a Parasitic Symbiosis.” Mr. Drake said in a sad, concerned voice. “We have to keep you here, to make sure that this Symbiote doesn’t hurt you. Your father has given me permission to get it out of you, okay?”

 

“B-but… I-I don’t have a-a Symbiote in me.”

 

**You are a very bad liar, Eddie.** Venom noted.

 

“Am not. You could be lying.” Eddie snapped. He was scared and tired. But this seemed to only put him deeper into the hole.

 

**I do not lie, Eddie. Not to you.**

 

“The Symbiote has already killed many other volunteers, Eddie. And we prepared them for this, so you’re already in more danger than them.” His dad said, his voice icy calm. Eddie shrunk away again. “I’m sorry son, but your mom would be devastated if we lost you.” And then like that, his father made a gesture and the guard pulled Eddie away, locking him in one of those glass rooms.

 

Eddie felt his skin instantly become frigid. He watched as the door began to blink numbers and the word ‘Stable’ on it, just like all the other doors. Eddie felt the last ditch efforts of the drug drag him down, and instead of trying to fight it. He let it consume him.

 

~~~

 

**HUngrY.** Venom swirled around in Eddie’s lower abdomen.

 

“Please, Mister.” Eddie whimpered, looking at the scientist outside of his cell. He was checking the vitals on the door and other things about Eddie’s condition. “I’m really hungry.”

 

“Hush up, you.” The scientist spat.

 

“Please.” Eddie begged. Usually Venom would hiss and call him weak for begging, but Venom was weak at the moment too. He had no room to talk.

 

**Just a bit of your kidney. We promise.**

 

“He’s gonna eat my kidney if we don’t eat.” Eddie cried, plead to the scientist. The man looked up at Eddie, a spectulating look flashed through his mind, before he turned and left. Eddie let his head hang. “Just a little bit.”

 

**We will fix this Eddie.** A tendral appeared from Eddie’s collarbone. It came to Eddie’s cheek soothing over his cheek.

 

The scientist came back with Mr. Drake at his ankles. They glanced back at the vitals and x-rays, and other medical things Eddie couldn’t see himself. They pointed at screens, and contemplated.

 

“His kidney was fine before I left.” The scientist explained, looking as if he didn’t know it would happen.

 

“I told you he’d eat my kidney if we don’t get food.” Eddie yowled, glaring at his captives. “We’re just hungry. Please.”

 

“He said he was hungry, and you just ignored it?” Drake turned to the scientist. “This kid is the only person who has achieved symbiosis. We can’t afford to let him die. Not until we understand what makes him so different.”

 

“He’s got enough nutrients being pumped into him to keep an elephant alive.” The scientist fumbled. “It’s an act.”

 

“Does his missing kidney look fake to you, Dr. Stein?” Drake growled, he reached up to his ear and ordered for one of his lackeys to bring in a burger from the cafeteria. It didn’t take long until the door was open and a guard walked in with a plateful of food.

 

In a second both Eddie and Venom jumped forward. Eddie grabbed the tray of food as his body mate formed a head and mouth, downing the guard in one bite. Eddie devoured his burger and fries, almost crying when the hunger-pains ebbed away from both him and Venom. Carlton Drake was practically plastered to the glass of the cell, looking at Eddie with undying intrigue.

 

“Did you see that?” Drake looked at Dr. Stein with a large grin on his face. “I want Eddie to be taken off of the liquid nutrients and given proper meals for him and his symbiote.” Drake and Stein kept discussing terms and opportunities that this new ability has enlightened upon their situation.

 

Eddie was left, curled in the corner of his cell. Sobs retching from his body. Venom had just  _ eaten _ that person. And Venom was  _ in him _ .

 

**We had to eat, and dead meat is no use to us. It is either you or them, and we do not like harming you.** Venom said, their voice resolute.  **We have fixed the damage we have caused.**

 

“But you just killed that guy. Can’t you eat something else? Why did you have to eat a person?” Eddie pouted, angry at his alien. He was scared, he wanted to go home. But then again, he couldn’t go home. For some reason his dad wants him here. Venom isn’t dangerous! Expect, what if Venom could only eat people and he ate Eddie’s mom and little sister?

 

**I WOULD NOT!** Venom sounded so offended.  **We only lost control, because they starved us! We do not hurt Eddie, and hurting this ‘mother and sister’ would hurt Eddie.**

 

“So you can eat something else?” Eddie asked, hopeful.

 

**Perhaps. We need a chemical in human brains, a** **_phenylethylamine_ ** **. We do not know where else to find this, your lack of knowledge due to little experience in life is difficult. Though we believe one of our hosts had knowledge about chocolate and the human body, kept wishing for it. Said it made her happy.** Venom explained.  **That might work.**

 

“My dad still wouldn’t want me back home. I don’t want to go back either. I don’t want to be here more, though.” Eddie curled into himself further as the cold air cut back on, making his freezing cell even colder. He breathed easier when Venom’s oozing formed a jacket over the paper thin hospital gown they had forced the thirteen year old in. Eddie subconsciously pulled at the living hoodie strings, not even noticing when one ended up in his mouth. He felt himself calm down, even if for just a second.

 

**Why do you do that?** Venom’s voice brought Eddie out of his peace.

 

“Do what?” Eddie asked, spitting Venom’s strand from his mouth, making a face of disgust. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve, only to realise that the sleeve was Venom as well.

 

**This.** Memories of Eddie stimming came to the forefront of his mind, and wasn’t that weird. So not only was his body not safe from this alien, but his mind as well. Oh well, it wasn’t that bad.  **None of the other hosts had the need for this ‘stimming’.**

 

“I, uh, It’s…. Well, you see…” Eddie sighed, this was so hard. How do you explain to an alien that his host was atypical for a human. That if he didn’t stim his thoughts would both slow down and speed up. That some textures, smells, colors, and tastes put Eddie on edge and made him uncomfortable to the point of breaking down. It wasn’t only that, but Eddie wasn’t even atypical enough to be put on medicine, or strictly labeled as having a sensory disorder.

 

**I see. Well, if it helps you, I do not mind in assisting you in this ‘stimming’.** The ‘hoodie string’ moved on it’s own until it was at Eddie’s lips, waiting for them to open. Eddie chewed the inside of his cheek for a second, really thinking if it would be okay. A positive warmth of reassurance filled Eddie up. It was enough for Eddie to resume his gnawing of the cord.

 

Before they went to bed, a group of guards and Mr. Drake led a homeless looking young person into Eddie’s cell with a tray off food. Eddie shuddered at the thought of watching Venom eat another human again, only to spot a cup of pudding on the tray, it was chocolate.

 

**We can test it, but if it doesn’t work, the next person to step into our cell will be eaten.** Venom compromised.

 

“Deal.” Eddie nodded. The confused young adult look warily at the teen who talked to himself. Venom reached out slowly, snatching the food tray and bringing it over to Eddie. They ate like normal beings. Eddie opened up the pudding and watched as Venom enthusiastically slurped it up. Their company just sort of watch them, enticed and afraid. Eddie felt like a sad, mopey lion in a zoo, being gawked at and studied, but still captive.

 

“The symbiote is eating the chocolate instead of the volunteer.” Drake mussed. “Interesting. Is this because the symbiote prefers chocolate over humans, or is this Eddie’s influence?”

 

“C-can I leave now?” The ‘volunteer’ turned to the group on the other side of the glass.

 

“No, you will stay there. Keep Mr. Brock and the symbiote company.” Drake turned on his heels and left.

 

“I’m Eddie.” Eddie introduced, holding up his hands to his new cell mate.

 

**We might eat him anyway.** Venom suddenly said.  **Just for fun.**

 

“That’s not nice. I gave you the pudding.” Eddie huffed.

 

“I’m Eli.” Hands were shook, and the new comer sat down, looking around the cell. “How old are you kid?”

 

“Thirteen.” Eddie hummed. He didn’t really like Eli. He was boring.

 

**So we can eat him?**

 

“Are you even hungry?” Eddie asked, not caring if the guy looked at him like he was insane. You try having another being in your body, and see how sane you seem to the outside world.

 

**No, but you are right. This is quite boring. It will make for some entertainment.**

 

“Maybe for a psychopath. We are better than that, V. But the chocolate did work? You’re not hungry?” Eddie fiddled with a small ball of Venom, twisting and pulling at the goo-ish alien as if it were puddy.

 

“You can talk to the thing?” Eli asked, watching Eddie’s hands. “You can control it?” It took a moment for Eddie to realise that Eli was even still there, and was talking to Eddie.

 

“Talk too? Yeah, I talk to V. But control? He’s his own person. He controls himself.” Eddie’s brow crinkled. Why do all these people think Venom and his kind are just mindless puppets to be controlled? Venom was just as much as a prisoner here as Eddie was, as Eli was.

 

“Isn’t it fucking weird? To be possessed by an alien?” Eli shivered at the thought.

 

**I am not possessing you. He lies, we eat him.** Venom grumbled irritably.

 

“I’m not possessed. He doesn’t control me either.” Eddie grumbled as well. He was getting restless and resentful the longer he talked to this guy. Not that Eli was being mean, he was just ignorant. Eddie didn’t see why he had to answer so many questions to a guy that was meant to be eaten.

 

**So we can ea-**

 

“V, please. I’m just tired. I don’t want to eat anyone. Can we just go to bed?” Eddie asked, turning his back on Eli. “I’m itchy, and twitchy, and uncomfortable.”

 

**Do you need to stim?** Venom’s voice was so kind, and worried for its host. Venom’s head appeared out of Eddie’s collarbone and started nuzzling his neck, like a cat or dog. Soft purring vibrations started all over the teen’s body, easing his body in a more relaxed state.

 

“Can you do something that’s not gooey or slimy?” Eddie asked. Eddie could feel the cool presence of Venom teaching himself from Eddie’s memories, getting an understanding of what Eddie was looking for. And then, with an insightful grawf Venom formed himself into a small square. It was akin to a fidget cube. Instead of Venom’s usually slickness, it was solid, all except for a tendrel that connected the toy to Eddie. “Thanks, buddy.”

 

**“Buddy? What is this?”** Venom’s head floated forward so he could look Eddie in the eye. It was the first time he spoke outside of Eddie’s head. Eli looked at the alien wrapped all around the teenager. He was shaking, and clutching at his heart, as if about to have a heart attack. He was ignored.

 

“It’s a term of endearment. It means your my friend, even though you want to eat people.” Eddie explained, fiddling with the cube. He laid down on the far side of the cell, eyes only on his toy or Venom. And then he fell asleep with soft breaths. Venom turned his head over to Eli, who let out a squeak of terror before Venom slithered back into Eddie’s dozing form.


	2. Chapter 2

Eddie wasn’t proud to say, but Eli was eaten three days later. Drake made sure of this by not feeding either Eddie or Venom until ‘everything was cleared off of his plate.’ It was as if Drake thought not eating a person would be on the same level as not eating his vegetables. Drake learned his lesson the first time, and checked every food try to make sure there wasn’t anything chocolate on it before sending it in with a new human ‘volunteer.

 

**Close your eyes, Eddie.** Venom always insisted before he consumed the person.

 

It wasn’t until three weeks of boring nothingness that Eddie meet Dr. Skirth again. She walked in with Drake, a clipboard in hand. Her face full of disgust when they stopped at Eddie’s cell.

 

“You’re the smartest we have, Skirth. Do this for me, and you will be rewarded handsomely. You and your daughters.” Drake turned on his heels and left.

 

“He’s in a cell, you all can leave now.” Skirth turned to the guards that were stationed around Eddie. The teen had been ignoring them since they came, and honestly forgot about them more than not. Unless he got hungry. They didn’t do anything about it though. Mr. Drake had clearly made a feeding schedule for Eddie. And wasn’t that a little demeaning? It starved Eddie and Venom until Venom had no choice but to nibble on Eddie’s organs, and then they were feed just enough for Venom to heal the organs and be placated for a while.

 

As soon as the guards left, and then another five minutes to be sure, Dr. Skirth stepped into the cell. Both Eddie and Venom looked at her. Venom swirled around.

 

**Close your eyes, Eddie.** Venom stated. Eddie turned away, shutting his eyes tight, as he always did. He could feel Venom lunge out, waited for Dr. Skirth to shriek and fall silent as she was devoured. Except none of the happened. There was a thump on the ground, but footsteps came closer to Eddie. A hand, a human hand rested on Eddie’s shoulder, making his shoot up and shrink away. Venom whipped around and growled at the doctor, his teeth full of candy bar wrappers.

 

“It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you, Eddie.” Dr. Skirth said in a soft voice. “Here, eat this.” She held out a few granola bars for Eddie. “It was all I could grab on a short notice.” Eddie tore off the wrapping of the bar and practically shoved the whole thing in his mouth, and then another. By his third he was eating it normally. He stashed the other three under his thin, mockery of a blanket.

 

**She is kind.** Venom slithered back towards Eddie, taking a note from his host and saving the rest of the bag full of chocolate.  **I do not trust this yet. It could be a trap.**

 

“Why did you give us these?” Eddie asked, suddenly wary of the woman. He hadn’t thought of ulterior motives.

 

“Because you are a child, who is starving. I have two girls at home, my oldest is your age. I’ll do everything in my power to get you out of here.” She said, holding a hand to Eddie’s forehead. “You’re a little hot.”

 

“Thanks. You might be a doctor, Ms. Skirth, but my mom says I am a PHD.” Eddie smirked. Dr. Skirth went wide eyed and gave an uncomfortable chuckle.

 

“I-it’s Dora, and by PHD… you mean?”

 

“Pretty Handsome Dude.” Eddie said. “What were you thinking about?” Dora let out a choking noise, before giving him a smile and ruffling his hair. Ms. Dora reminded him of his mom. He missed his mom, and his sister.

 

“Uh, you can eat the rest of those bars. I’ll be back with more, I promise.” She insisted, not answering his question.

 

**We will see about that.** Venom squinted his opal eyes at Skirth.

 

“We’ll believe you when you bring back food later.” Eddie informed her.

 

“Fair enough. We’ll talk later. I have other duties to perform.” Dora walked out of their cell and out of sight.

 

The hours ticked by, Eddie did the same things he’s been doing for the month that he’s been stuck in this crazy place. He talked to Venom, who made himself into different textures and objects to keep Eddie entertained. Some scientists came in and observed Eddie and Venom, taking some notes and murmuring to each other. One of them tried to force Eddie to make different things out of the Symbiote’s body. Though all that happened were some shouts of empty threats and cursing. No one dared to walk into Eddie’s cell without the intent to be eaten. Eddie turned his back to the onlookers.

 

“Damn brat doesn’t know his place.” One of the people growled, walking up to the control screens and pressing a few buttons. Eddie went from smug to his ears wanting to bleed out and his guts being whipped around. The noise was loud and high-pitched, screeching through the speakers. A sharp tug and a ‘thwump’ and Eddie’s body felt empty and cold. He looked frantically around to see Venom’s true form convulsing on the ground.

 

“WHAT THE FUCK.” Dr. Skirth’s voice boomed as she stormed over, whacking the man with her clipboard and shutting off the sound. She turned and whacked the man again in anger. Eddie ignored her as he scooped up his only friend with shaking fingers. He watched as Venom slowly seeps back into his skin, curling up at the bottom of his stomach for protection.

 

“Are you okay, V?” Eddie asked frantically. He could sense a feeling achen to panic and pain from the alien inside of him. Eddie sent mental pictures of warmth and comfort back, hugging his own arms around his stomach, making sure Venom wouldn’t just burst away from him again.

 

“Mr. Drake is out on a business trip. I do not think he will be pleased if he comes back to find one of his creatures dead.” Dr. Skirth yelled at the man.

 

“He was being uncooperative, he had it coming.” The perpetrator scoffed.

 

“He is thirteen. No thirteen year old is cooperative. It’s wired into them. They’re assholes. I didn’t think a middle schooler could get under a grown man’s skin so easily.” Dr. Skirth laughed humorlessly. Get out of here, all of you. I don’t want to see anyone here until they prove that they won’t kill the things that we are supposed to be studying.”

 

**Loud sounds are not good for us.** Venom said after a while. He swirled up Eddie’s body and nestled below the boy’s beating heart, finding comfort in the rhythmic thumps and the implications of life that it brought to him. They watched as the room emptied instead of Dr. Skirth. She glanced around before slipping into the cell. She had another bag with her. This time it was filled with a container of spaghetti for Eddie and a large tub of chocolate pudding for Venom. They both grabbed their respective meals simultaneously and began devouring it.

 

“Like I said before. Drake is on a business trip. He won’t be back for a couple of days. Gather your strength, and tonight I’ll help you make a break for it. Okay kid? But once we get out of here, you’re on your own. I have kids to take care of.” Dr. Skirth explained in a hushed voice, running her hand through Eddie’s hair, grimacing when his forehead felt hotter than it had earlier. He seemed to be getting sick. It wasn’t too bad, and hopefully some of the hypothesis about Venom are true. Hopefully, he could heal Eddie of any and all human ailments. He did heal Eddie’s half eaten kidney that one time.

 

She took the tupperware back into her bag after they were done eating. She took out a map of the compound, showing it to Eddie as Venom perched(?) on the boy’s shoulder.

 

“The quickest path is through these doors right here. If we get seperated, turn left, then the back entrance is right here. There are dense woods outside, but you have to get past the gate first. It’ll be easy to lose the guards after that with the help with your friend.” Dora traced the path which Eddie would take. Venom slithered over to her bag and produced a pink highlighter. Even though he was just a head at the moment, he used his mouth to hold the marker and highlighted the path.

 

**“So Eddie can remember.”** Venom explained to the woman.  **“Too much white.”** Eddie felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. His teachers hated when he would color their worksheets in different colors, but Venom was right. It was always too boring to hold Eddie’s interest, making him lose his place often. Venom must have seen this in Eddie’s memories.

 

“Yeah, I read in Drake’s notes that you’re autistic, Eddie.” Dora said. “There is a theory going around that because of this disorder it allows you to be more compatible to hosting a symbiote.”

 

“N-no. I’m not autistic. I, uh, I have a sensory processing disorder. Though, it’s not a widely known, or categorized disorder, though a few studies have found out that autism and SPD are different.” Eddie rambled, just repeating things he’s heard his mom saw to her parents when they asked about Eddie. “S-so, uh, we just say I’m atypical.”

 

“Interesting.” Dr. Skirth hummed. A ding from her phone brought her out of her musings. “I have to go. Be ready when I come back in later tonight.”

 

“What time is it now?” Eddie asked, thinking it was already pretty late. Then again, he didn’t exactly have a way to keep time, and no one really cared if he knew what day it was.

 

“It’s about noon.” Dora said as she closed the cell behind her and walked away.

 

Dora came into the containment room around one in the morning, right before the change in guards, meaning everyone was extremely tired, and the new people haven’t gotten here yet. She walked over to Eddie and Venom, a few more chocolate bars in her hand to make sure the alien didn’t eat her. The Symbiote was covering Eddie, as if he were a blanket, keeping the child safe. It was so fascinating how the alien became so protective over the human. It went beyond just Eddie’s need for things, it was an innate almost motherly approach to how the creature cared for its host. It was such a waste for this to be an unlawful situation, because the student and scientist in Dora yearned to learn more about this. However the mother and human in her knew that this was wrong.

 

Dora placed her hand on Eddie’s forehead, grimacing at the heat the was emitting off of his skin. It was surely a fever now, but Dora couldn’t dwell on this right now. She shook Eddie awake. He made small grunts, trying to push her away, but she wasn’t having it.

 

“We’re leaving.” She said, and this seemed to cut through the haze in his mind. He got up, the symbiote becoming a hoodie instead of a jacket, keeping the child warm. “Do you remember the route we disgust earlier today?”

 

“Yeah, it’s pink.” Eddie yawned, rubbing his eyes. Venom’s floating head gave a sharp nod, reassuring the doctor a little more than Eddie had.

 

“Good enough. Now, follow close behind me. When I tell you to run, you have to run.” She turned on her heels and walked out, holding the door for Eddie. Everything seemed to be going great, they haven't ran into any guards or graveyard shift scientists. Though all could be for not as the compound lit up and sharp sirens sounded. Someone must of found Eddie’s empty cell.

 

They started to run, Eddie pulling further up ahead, until he was out of sight from Dora. She was meet with more staff, all running around to find their captive.

 

“Skirth, have you seen the little brat?” One of the guards asked, he was from the special ops, a menacing looking man that sent shivers down the doctor’s body.

 

“No, that’s why I’m looking.” Dora huffed. “Drake will not like the sound of this.” The man nodded before stalking off to find their runaway. She let out her breath she had been holding, sending a prayer that Eddie would make it out safely.

 

~~~~

 

Eddie didn’t look down. He was so high up in a tree. He listened as guards and armed men stomped around, yelling for him to ‘get his punk ass back here’. No one looked up, or maybe some did, but Eddie was so high, so very high, that they probably couldn’t see him. Oh god, why was he so high.

 

**I will not let us fall, Eddie** Venom purred in his mind. Eddie could only cling tighter to the top of the tall tree. It was so dark, and so high, but the air was warm and clean. It felt so nice to be outside. He was so tired, and his head throbbed dully. It wasn’t until hours later that all the flashlights and voices left the forest, and Venom said it was safe enough to leave was Eddie positioned back onto the ground and allowed to walk back to civilization. Though it was more like Venom controlling his legs to get them as far away from the compound as possible.

 

“What are we going to do now, V?” Eddie asked, the weight of what had just happened finally leaving him with unknown questions.

 

**We stay safe.**


End file.
